Supporting-tool.



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No. 696,554. Patented Apr. I, |902.

A. T. UUDLEY. SUPPORTING TUDL.

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No. 696,554. Patented Apr. i, IBM. A. T. BUDLEY.

SUPPORTING TUL.

(Application med Jan. ao, 1901.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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.www 0W No. 696,554. Patented Apr. I, |902.

A. T. DUDLEY.

SUPPORTING TUDL. (Appliceien nied n. so, 1901.) (No Model.) 4f5Sheets-Sheet 4.

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NTTnp STaTns ALPHA TRUE WORTHEY DUDLEY,

PATENT Tures.

OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SUPPORTINGJTOOL.

SPECIFICA'JION forming part of Letters Patent No. 696,554, dated April1, 1902. Application filed January 30, 1901. Serial No. 451315. (Nomodel.)

.To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, ALPHA TRUEWORTHEY DUDLEY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in Brockton, in the county of Plymouth and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Supporting-Tool, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to shafting-supports, and has for its object thetemporary support of line-shafts and other similar work while adjustingthe same to the hangers or undergoing repairs and for other analogouswork.

In the present state of the art of erecting line and other shafting themost primitive means are used, requiring a number of men who stand idlenine-tenths of the time in order to render the necessary aid at theproper time, while to prepare the necessary props and stanchions for thetemporary support of the shaft while rebabbitting a journal-box orresetting a pulley nearly always requires for each time more labor,time, and expense than a full supply of these tools willcost. Inaddition to other disadvantages of present and prior methods graveaccidents frequently result from unavoidable causes attendant thereon.

I overcome the above defects by the means set forth in the followingspecification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inv

which- Figure 1 is an elevation of my improvedv supporting-tool inoperation and illustrates the method Vof'supporting a shaft, which inthis view runs parallel with the door-beam, with the pulley and hangershown in the rear. This view represents the simplest form of my improvedhanging-tool, consisting of a clamp with vertical jaws and horizontalarms provided with hooks at theirouter extremities, upon which thesupportingchain is means for adjusting the height of the work.

Fig. et is a View of another simple form of the clamp, the arms of whichare provided with hook and pulley for lifting the work by means of acable which passes under the work and over the pulley.V Fig. 5illustrates a similar form of tool additionally provided with a pair ofpivoted clainping-jaws, which are self-adjusting, and a pair of lockingdogs or pawls seated or pivoted on the arms and provided with teethwhich engage ratchets on the external face of the jaws in order to holdthe bite on the floor-beam and prevent the tool from falling before thework is lifted or after the weight is removed. Fig. 6 shows an approvedform of clampwith a 'tensionhook on the right and a pulley on the leftarm, with a cable extending from armi to arm. The tension-hook providesfor the delicate adjustment ofthe shaft for babbitting a journal-box oradjusting the bolts in the shaftcoupling, either of which may be doneexpeditiously and with the greatest nicety. The tension-hook is providedwith a ball-and-socket joint, the shape of which is indicated by thedotted line on the right. In this case the dog is inverted and pivotedto the jaw and is provided with ratchet-teeth upon the under side, whichengage the lookin g-lug by gravity,hold ing securely the bite on thebeam. This construction obviates the spring which is shown in Fig. 5 forholding the dog-teeth in engagement with the ratchet on the jaw of theclamp. It will be seen also that one dog performs the function ot'holding both jaws to the beam. Fig. 7 shows another method of securingthe bite on the beam, which consists of a bolt passing throughperforations in the jaws of the clamping-tool. This figure alsoillustrates more accurately the means for the delicate adjustment of theshaft to any position required or desired by tension-hooks at each endof the arms or clamp. On the right a part of the boss is broken out,disclosing the ball and cup of the joint and also the outline of thetriangular slot which provides for a swing of the tension-hooks toaccommodate the line of stress to the various elevation of shafting, asindicated by the length of the hangers or diameter of the pulleysmounted thereon. Figs. 8 and 9 are side and plan views of the same tool,illustrating the same form of parts I QC from different points of View.Fig. l0 illustrates my improved supporting-toolin its preferred formwith self-adjusting jaws, locking-pawl, a pulley for elevating, athreaded hook for accurate adjustment, with cable and chain forsupporting the work. Fig. 11 illustrates the method of mounting thepulley in the arm, a section of which is broken out to disclose theconstruction. Fig. 12 illustrates the construction and mountings of theadj usting-hook, showing the ball-and-socket joint and the triangularslot for the accommodation of the hook as it swings inward toward thecenter of the tool. Fig. 13 is an enlarged view of the lockingdog orpawl with the rigidly-mounted pivot-bolt in the base and the curvedspring N mounted in the bolt-slot, which is indicated by dotted lines.Fig. 14 is a sectional elevation of the clamping mechanism through a l),Fig. 10, and illustrates the construction of the pawl or locking-dog,

with the method of mounting the same upon Y the arm of the tool. Itlikewise shows how the lug on the end of the spring N engages the arm G.Fig. l5 is a View of the pivotbolt and spring and clearly illustratesthe construction. The bolt is Hat-headed, with a polygonal base andround body. The point is provided with a slot through which the spring Npasses. The'gibbed head and lug upon the opposite extremity are shown onthe spring in this View.

Similar letters represent similar parts in the several viewsaccompanying this specification.

Fig. 10 specifically illustrates my improved supporting-tool with all ofthe preferred inlprovements in combination.

The clamp A and the chain B or the rope C constitute practically thebroad invention.

The clamping device A is formed of two large hooks, (designated D D',)pivoted together near their angle of curvature by a pivot-bolt E, whichis provided with a head e and nut c', which unite the hooks like a pairof shears. When the device is in position for operation, the jaws Foccupy vertical, and the arms G horizontal, planesthat is, practicallyand relatively stand at right angles to each other-in order that anyweight applied to the arms transmits a corresponding compressive actionor closure of the jaws, or, in other Words, the jaws and arms being ofequal length, for every pound of weight in the shaft a pound ofcompressive energy is given to the jaws, which are provided with teethyf where the ordinary wooden floorbeams are used in the structure-frame.These jaws, however, may be made plain where the metallic I-beam isused, in the floor above. In some cases the sharp teeth may deface thebeam, and therefore become objectionable. To obviate this difiiculty,special clamping devices or heads H are pivoted to the jaws F by aboltf, which passes through the lugs h and a perforation f 2 in the jawF. This subjaw or head is provided with a broad clamping-face 71,',provided with teeth h2, which engage the beam. The arms G and Gvareprovided with hooks g g' in the simpler form, to

l which the supportingchain B is attached. For lifting or raising theshaft from the iioor,

however, it is found preferable to use the rope C and pulley J. (Shownin Figs. 4, 5, and 6.) This construction provides a very rapid means forlifting the shaft into position. Wheredelicateadjustmentis required, aspecial hook K is provided, with fingers 7c 7c and a threaded staff k2,with a nut k3 and a hemispherical Washer 7a4, which fits into a cupshaped cavity g2 in the boss g3 of the arm G. At the bottom of thiscavity a longitudinal slot g4 is provided for the staff of the hook K,which permits a limited motion in the hook and accommodates the line ofstress to the various elevations of the shaft. Otherwise the staff ofthe hook might be broken or strained.

In some instances where it is required to support a {iat-bottomed body,such as a pillow-block, a special chair L is provided. This chair isshown plain in Fig. 3 of the drawings; but it is preferred with auadjustable seat and pulley-bearing at each of the points of contact withthe rope. To absolutely secure this clamping-tool from falling after thebite is taken on the floor-beam, a locking dog or pawl M is seated orpivoted on the arm G by the pivot-bolt m, which is made polygonal whereit passes through the eye of' the dog, round where it passes through theperforation in the arm G, with slot m for receiving the gibbed end ofthe spring N, which passes through the slot and is hooked under the armG. This spring N holds the tooth m2 of the dog in engagement with theratchet-teeth f3 on the external face of the jaws. This construction maybe varied by hanging the dog to the jaw and providing a series ofratchetteeth upon the under side, which engage by gravity thelocking-lug g5 in the arm G. A more positive but much slower lockingdevice consists of a bolt O, provided with a head o and a nut o', whichpasses through the jaws near the lower edge of the iioor-beam.

Having thus fully described the construc.

tion of my improved supporting-tool, the operation may be set forth asfollows: The arms of the supporting-tool are grasped by the operator,the pawls thrown out of engagement, and the jaws opened sufficientlywide to take in the Hoor-beam. The tool is then raised into position,one jaw bearing against the door-beam, and the arms depressed until theteeth suitably engage the fibers of the beam. The rope or chain is thenhooked to the arm, passed under the work, and then hooked or passed overthe pulley, as the case may be, and the tension brought up on the shaft.Ordinarily this tension may be effected by the rope and pulley alone bytaking a turn around the shaft at or near the base of the coupler; butfor iner and more accurate adjustment of the shaft recourse maybe had tothe nuts IOO IIO

on the staff of the tension-hook, which readily adjusts itself to anylength of hanger.

It is obvious this device may be applied to a Variety of other work,such as hangingv steam-pipe-or holding pipe in position Whileflange-joints are being packed or otherwise repaired.

Having thus fully described my'invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination in a supporting-tool of jaws for engaging the beam,`levers for compressing the jaws, a locking device for holding the jawsin engagement with the beam, a cable or chain extending from arm to armwith a bearing or chair mounted upon the cable and means for adjustingthe work substantially as shown and described.

2. Thecombination in asupporting-tool of jaws and arms operatingintransverse planes, a locking-dog, or pawl and ratchet for locking thebite on the beam, a pulley mounted upon one of the arms and anadjustable hook mounted upon the other arm for connecting a cable orchain to the tool substantially as and for the purpose set'forth.

3. In a supporting-tool, substantially as shown, a locking dog or pawlpivoted to the arm of the tool, a slotted pivot-bolt rigidly fixed inthe seat of pawl and passing through the arm of the tool, a springinserted in the slot of the bolt and adapted to engage the under part ofthe arm and to hold the tooth of` the pawl in engagement with theratchet on the jaw ofthe tool substantially as shown and described. p

4. In a supporting-tool an arm substantially as shown, provided withaboss upon the end ofthe same, a cupshaped cavityin the Vupper surfaceof the boss, a triangular slot in the bottom of the cup, or cavity, ahook, having a threaded sta with threaded nut and hemispherical washer,mounted in said cavity,- substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In a supporting-tool substantially as shown in combination with thearm thereof, having a boss or enlargement at the `end of the arm and avertical slot in the boss orenlargement, a pulley provided with anannular groove adapted to carry a cable or chain, mountedV in the slot,substantially as shown and described.

G. A supporting-tool comprising a pair of hooks pivoted together neartheir angle of curvature with self-adjusting jaws mounted vupon theupper part of the hooks, a pawl mounted upon an arm of the tool, aratchet upon the external face of one 01": the hooks, a

.spring mounted in the pivot-bolt of the p awl and adapted to hold thepawl in engagement -With the ratchet and lock the jaws of the tool inengagement with the beam, a hook provided With a threaded staff and nutmounted upon one arm, anda pulley mountedupon the other arm ot' thetool, a cable or chain connecting the hook and pulley together and achain mounted upon the cable and adapted to support the Worksubstantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my f Witnesses:

WALTER B. KNIGHT, A. E. BOWKER.

